Kimball,  Gertrude  S. 

The  East-India  Trade  of  Providen 


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UNIVERSITY 


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Papers  from  the  Historical  Seminary 
of  Brown  University 


Edited  by  J.  Frankmx  Jameson.  Ph.D.,  Professor  of  [Tistory 


VI 


The  East-India  Trade  of  Providence 

From  1787  to  1807 


BY 

Gertrude  Selwvn  Kimball 


PROVIDENCE,  R.  1. 

PRESTON    AND    R  O  U     D  S 
1896 


Papers  from  the  Historical  Seminary 
of  Brown  University 

Edited  by  J.  FRxVXKLix  Jameson,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of  History 


VI 


The  East-India  Trade  of  Providence 

From  17S7  to  1S07 


BY 

Gertrude  Selwyn  Kimball 


PROVIDENCE,  R.  I. 
PRESTON     AND  ROUNDS 
1896 


PRESS  OF  E.  L.  FREEMAN  &  SONS, 
PROVIDENCE,  R.  I. 


THE  EAST  INDIA  TRADE  OF  PROVIDENCE, 

From  1787  to  1807. 


The  East  India  trade  of  Providence  illustrates  for  us  one  of 
the  largest  fields  of  early  New  England  activity.  It  is,  of  course, 
perfectly  well  known  that  before  the  development  of  manufac- 
tures had  taken  place,  in  the  early  years  of  the  present  century, 
commerce  played  a  prominent  part  in  the  industrial  life  of  all 
the  Northern  coast  states.  But  it  is,  perhaps,  worth  while  to 
call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  development  of  the  particular 
line  of  commerce  under  consideration  occurred  precisely  at  a 
time  when  social  and  political  conditions  may  plausibly  be  said 
to  have  impelled  men  in  the  direction  of  that  which  partook  of 
mysterious  adventure.  Let  us  glance  for  a  moment  at  those 
conditions,  in  1787.  The  colonial  merchant  marine  had  played 
an  important  part  in  the  war  for  independence  as  a  privateering 
force,  and  that  on  a  scale  of  considerable  magnitude.  Those 
years  of  predatory  warfare  must  have  brought  out  a  spirit  of 
daring,  to  which  the  idea  of  the  unknown  lands  and  the  bound- 
less treasures  of  the  East  would  appeal  as  a  direct  incentive  to 
action.  Moreover,  the  English  policy  of  trade  restriction,  which 
had  been  a  peculiarly  exasperating  grievance  to  the  New  Eng- 
land and  Middle  colonies,  no  longer  barred  the  way  to  the  ex- 
pansion of  American  commerce.  The  Revolution  had  shaken 
men  out  of  the  old  routine  channels  of  colonial  industry  and 
had  aroused  a  spirit  of  progress,  which,  when  independence  was 
finally  secured,  forced  men  to  push  westward  into  the  wilder- 
ness and  eastward  beyond  the  Atlantic.  It  can  hardly  be  owing 
to  a  mere  coincidence  that  the  first  ship  cleared  for  the  East 
Indies  from  Salem  in  1785,*  and  the  first  from  Providence 
in  1787. 


*  Hunt's  Merch.  Mag.,  vol.  36,  p.  165. 


4 


Again,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  colonial  trade  had  been 
practically  confined  to  England  and  her  dependencies,  India 
had  long  been  present  to  the  American  mind  as  a  source  of 
immense  wealth.  As  early  as  1698  the  Earl  of  Bellomont, 
Governor  of  New  York,  wrote  to  the  Lords  of  Trade  and  Plan- 
tations :  "  I  find  that  those  Pyrates  that  have  given  the  greatest 
disturbance  in  the  East  Indies  and  Red  Sea,  have  either  been 
fitted  from  New  York  or  Rhode  Island,  and  manned  from  New 
York."*  The  gains  thus  secured  were  enormous,  while  the  lack 
of  concerted  and  uniform  action  on  the  part  of  the  colonial 
governments  made  the  risks  of  capture  comparatively  sUght. 
These  marauders  were  the  forerunners  of  a  more  legitimate 
and  respectable  type  of  adventurers  who  began  their  operations 
just  about  a  century  later  (1787),  and  who  pushed  the  business 
with  much  enterprise  during  the  next  fifty  years. 

The  first  ship  cleared  from  Providence  for  the  East  Indies  in 
1787  —  the  last  in  1841. f  The  materials  for  this  study  of  the 
first  twenty  years  of  the  East  India  trade  have  been  obtained 
mainly  from  newspapers  of  those  years  and  from  the  MSS.  in 
the  Moses  Brown  Papers,  both  in  the  possession  of  the  Rhode 
Island  Historical  Society.  Much  valuable  material  was  found 
among  the  old  ships'  papers  of  the  firm  of  Brown  and  Ives ;  Mr. 
Sidney  S.  Rider,  of  Providence,  has  kindly  furnished  several 
MSS.  ;  and  use  has  been  made  of  the  custom-house  records 
for  the  years  under  consideration. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  the  first  ship 
— the  General  Washington — sent  from  Providence  to  the  East 
Indies,  and  it  fortunately  happens  that  much  material  re- 
lating to  her  is  available  —  surprisingly  available  when  the  fact 
is  taken  into  consideration  that  the  bulk  of  the  business-papers 
belonging  to  the  firm  who  owned  the  vessel  were  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  that,  therefore,  such  information  as  exists  regarding 
this  pioneer  ship  has  come  from  outside  sources. 

In  the  Providence  Gazette  for  December  22,  1787,  we  find 
this  item:  "The  Ship  General  Washington,  Captain  Johnathan 
Donnison  of  this  Port,  bound  for  the  East  Indies,  fell  down  the 
River  on  Wednesday.  Her  Cargo  will  be  completed  in  a  few 
Days,  when  she  will  go  to  Sea.  Colonel  Samuel  Ward  goes 
Supercargo."  - United  States  Chronicle  for  January  3,  1788, 


*  N.  Y.  Col.  Docs.,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  306.         +  The  Panther,  for  Batavia. 


5 


devotes  a  few  words  to  the  character  of  the   enterprise  : 

"The  Ship  Gejieral  Washington,  Captain  Donnison,  of  this  Port, 
left  our  River  on  Wednesday  Evening,  last  AVeek,  with  a  fair 
Wind,  bound  to  the  East  Indies.  As  this  is  the  first  Vessel 
which  ever  sailed  from  this  Place  to  that  distant  Quarter  of  the 
Globe,  we  wish  the  Adventurers  every  Success."  "  The  Good 
Ship  General  Washington''  was  built  for  the  firm  of  Brown  and 
Francis,  prominent  merchants  of  Providence.  The  senior  part- 
ner— John  Brown — figures  largely  in  the  local  history  and  de- 
velopment of  the  town.  He  was  frequently  a  member  of  the 
Rhode  Island  Assembly,  and  was  Representative  for  Rhode 
Island  in  the  Federal  Congress  from  1799  to  t8oi.  He  built 
the  first  wharves  and  store-houses  at  India  Point,  and  was  in- 
strumental in  establishing  the  first  bank  in  the  state.  In  politics 
]\Ir.  Brown  was  an  ardent  Federalist.  As  a  citizen  he  was  a  man 
of  noteworthy  public  spirit,  and  throughout  the  newspapers  of 
the  time  there  are  constant  allusions  to  him  and  his  brothers,  who  , 
occupied  positions  of  importance  in  the  affairs  of  the  town,  and 
were  always  interested  and  active  in  promoting  anything  in  the 
way  of  public  improvement  ;  new  bridges,  new  roads,  new 
wharves,  the  introduction  of  new  industries,  and  the  promotion 
of  manufactures  are  specific  instances  in  which  the  community 
was  largely  indebted  to  their  enterprise  and  sagacity.  It  is  in 
the  Moses  Brown  Papers  that  the  following  letter  is  found — the 
first  indication  of  the  East  India  trade  which,  within  the  next 
few  years,  brought  more  than  one  fortune  into  Rhode  Island. 

"Providence,  August  18,  1787. 

"  Brother  Moses  not  knowing  wheather  I  may  see  you  before 
I  go  to  the  Assembly,  next  ^Monday,  I  take  this  method  to  in- 
form you  that  I  have  it  in  contemplation  to  Fit  the  Ship  Genl 
Washington  to  the  East  Indies  in  which  Case  shall  not  be  any 
more  concerned  in  the  Ginney  Trade.  Thier  is  a  I\Ian  by  the 
name  of  Hayley  An  Englishman  that  has  lived  7  Years  in  India 
and  gives  Good  Encouragement  to  send  the  Ship,  he  will  go 
in  her,  he  has  Lately  Married  in  this  Country,  and  appears  to  be 
an  Intelligable  Handed  Man.  if  she  goes  she  ought  to  carry  a 
Cargo  from  ^"loooo  to  ^12000  L.^I.  value,  in  Cannon,  Shot, 
Anchors,  Barr  Iron,  Tarr,  Ginseng,  Medearia  Wine,  Brandy  and 
Sperits,  Jamaica  Sperits  ;  Mr.  Hayley  Ses,  but  New  England 
Rum  made  very  strong  I  should  think  may  answer  as  by  the 


6 


time  it  gets  there  will  be  about  as  good.  For  such  a  Cargo 
carried  to  the  Hither  Indies,  and  to  take  a  Freight  from 
there  to  China  she  may  bring  a  Cargo  home  worth  ^40000. 
The  Wine  to  the  amount  of  ^  the  Cargo  to  be  taken  on  board 
at  Madeira,  on  the  outward  Passag.  It  may  be  mostly  had  on 
6  and  12  Months'  Credit,  with  8  or  10000  Dollars  Cash,  the 
Ginseng  and  other  parts  of  the  Cargo,  besides  what  may  be 
procured  in  our  Way  may  be  purchased.  Will  you  be  Co7icei'ned. 
....  If  you  think  proper  and  can  make  it  convenient  shall  be 
glad  to  see  you  on  Monday  morning  next  as  early  as  convenient. 

Yrs  &c —  John  Brown." 

Whether  "  Brother  Moses  "  invested  or  not  we  are  not  told, 
but  ''Brother  John"  went  on  with  his  preparations.  The 
Gazette  for  September  22,  1787,  has  this  advertisement: 

Wanted  by  Brown  and  Francis  for  the  East  Indian  market,  a 
quantity  of  good  ginseng,  for  which  a  good  price  will  be  given, 
according  to  the  quality.  They  expect  to  continue  purchasing 
until  about  the  20th  of  November  next." 

In  December,  1787,  the  General  Washington  cleared  for  the 
East  Indies.  In  the  following  April  news  of  her  safe  arrival  at 
Madeira  reached  Providence,  and  in  the  April  of  1789  it  was 
learned  that  she  had  reached  Madras  in  safety  in  the  August  of 
1788.  Finally,  in  the  U?iited  States  Chronicle  of  July  9,  1789, 
we  find  the  following  bit  of  news  : 

"  On  Sunday  last  arrived  here  from  the  East  Indies,  the  Ship 
General  V/ashington,  Captain  Jonathan  Donnison,  with  a  valu- 
able cargo  of  the  Productions  and  Manufactures  of  that  Quarter 
of  the  Globe.  The  General  Washington  was  fitted  from  the 
Port  [of  Providence]  in  December,  1787,  and  made  her  voyage 
out  and  Home,  in  19  months  and  a  few  Days,  having  been  at 
the  following  Ports,  —Madeira,  Madras,  Pondicherry,  Canton, 
St.  Helena,  St.  Ascension,  and  St.  Eustatia  ; — and  what  is  very 
remarkable  has  brought  Home,  in  good  Health,  every  Person 
she  carried  out,  except  a  Black  Boy,  who  was  by  Accident  lost 
overboard.  In  the  General  Washington  came  Samuel  Shaw  Esq. 
Consul  for  the  United  States  at  the  Port  of  Canton,  etc." 

Further  details  respecting  this  first  voyage  of  the  General 
Washington  were  found  in  a  manuscript  journal,  which  was 
among  the  ship-papers  of  the  firm  of  Brown  and  Ives,  and 
which  bears  this  inscription  :    "  Journal  on  board  the  Ship  Ge7i- 


7 


eral  Washington.  Henry  Smith's  Book.  March  8th,  1788." 
The  record  begins  in  this  way  :  "  Journal  of  a  Passage  from  the 
Island  Madara  towards  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  on  the  good 
Ship  General  Washington,  Johnathan  Donnison  master.  Kept 
by  Henry  Smith.  God  grant  the  Ship  may  have  a  quick  Voyage 
and  reach  her  desired  Port  in  safety."  Then  come  the  daily 
items  : 

"Mch.  8.    thick  cloudy  weather. 

"  Mch.  9.    Strong  gales  and  large  Seas  from  the  westward. 

"  Mch.  12.    Fair  weather — which  God  send  a  continuance  of. 

"Mch.  13.  Fine  Weather,  pleasant  Breezes,  and  a  Smooth  Sea. 
Those  who  never  cross'd  the  Tropic  of  Cancer  are  made  ac- 
quainted with  it  by  being  shaved  and  Duck'd  and  paying  their 
Bottle — the  invariable  Custom  practised  by  Sailors. 

"  Mch.  16.    This  Day  being  Sunday  all  hands  employed  wash- 
ing and  mending  their  Cloaths  and  so  ends  the  day. 

"  March  30,  Sunday.  At  6  a.m.  killed  a  fine  Hog,  which  serves 
all  hands  for  a  fresh  dinner,  likewise  caught  a  large  Shark, 
people  employed  boiling,  frying,  and  Stewing  Hog  and  Shark. 
This  being  Sunday  I  wish  the  prayers  of  Jemmy  Manning*  or 
somebody  else  would  send  us  a  good  fair  Breeze." 

Towards  the  middle  of  May  the  writer  records  heavy  gales  off  * 
the  Coromandel  coast.  By  July  8  the  General  Washington  was 
off  Ceylon.  On  July  18  she  anchored  off  Pondicherry.  On  July 
22  this  record  is  made  :  "H.  Smith  and  Wm.  Page  and  6  men 
set  oft'  in  the  Yawl  for  ^Madras  to  inquire  the  markets  &c  and 
returned  the  27th  July  at  3  o'clock  P.r\I.  At  6  o'clock  weighed 
anchor  and  sailed  for  Madras. 

"July  28. — Att  5  P  M  Tsladras  discovered  W.N.W.  distance  2 
leagues,  saw  the  colours  flying  at  the  Fort  —  at  one  o'clock 
Saw  the  Shipping  in  Madras. 

"August  24,  1788.    Sailed  from  Madras  for  Canton  In  China, 
through  the  Straits  of  Malacca. 

"  Oct.  4,  1788.    This  Day  Frank  Malbone  (Negro)  unfortu- 
nately fell  overboard  and  was  drowned. 

"Oct.  22.  Went  Ashore  at  Maccao  for  refreshments  and  Pilot. 
Maccao,  a  Portuguese  Place,  is  the  residence  of  the  different 
European  Supercargoes  when  the  Business  is  done  at  Canton. 


*  James  Manning,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  and  first  President  of  Rhode  Island 
College  (Brown  University). 


8 


their  Houses  are  very  good  Buildings  and  the  only  ones  in 
Maccao. 

"29  Jan'y,  1789 — took  our  Departure  from  Maccao. 

"  Feb'y  18 — Anchored  under  the  Island  Crocatoa*  at  which 
place  found  3  English  Indiamen.  Also  Ship  Jay  American, 
bound  from  Batavia  to  Bombay  with  Sugar  Candy. 

"  Apr.  29.  Came  to  anchor  under  the  Island  St.  Helena,  three 
English,  two  Swedish,  and  two  Ships  under  Imperial  Colours  in 
the  Rhodestead  refreshments  plenty,  treated  with  great  Polite- 
ness, a  healthy,  pretty  little  place.  Heard  of  the  illness  of 
George  III  and  the  war  in  Europe. 

"June  7  —  Anchored  at  St.  Eustatia. 

"  June  17 — weighed  Anchor  and  set  Sail  for  Rhode  Island. 

"  July  4th — Spoke  a  Ship  below  Newport.  Distance  sailed  in 
the  Ship  Genl  WasJiiugton  in  her  V oyage  from  Providence  to  the 
East  Indies  and  Canton  and  back,  as  run  by  Log  .  .  .  32758 
miles." 

The  Henry  Smith  from  whose  "  Journal  "  the  above-quoted 
items  were  taken  was  afterward  (1805-6)  acting  governor  of  the 
State.  He  built  the  Duncan  house  on  Smith's  Hill,  which  was 
named  for  him.  His  position  on  board  the  ship  seems  to  have 
*been  that  of  a  passenger,  or  he  may  possibly  have  been  a  private 
adventurer  in  the  Indian  market.  This  last  conjecture  derives 
some  plausibility  from  a  manuscript  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 
Rider  which  is  marked:  "Bill  of  a  transaction  between  Capt. 
Donnison,  Scott  Jenckes,  and  Henry  Smith  on  board  Ship  Gen- 
eral Washiiigton  27  August,  1788."  These  gentlemen  bought 
Madeira  wine  to  the  amount  of  J^i()  2s.  and  paid  for  the  same  in 
rice,  shoes,  candles,  and  ware  (iron,  probably).  There  are  also 
extant  several  letters  written  by  Henry  Smith  on  this  voyage, 
and  an  invoice  of  the  cargo  carried  to  India.  One  or  two  ex- 
tracts from  these  letters  may  be  interesting.    The  first  is  dated 

"Canton,  January  7th,  1789." 

"  My  dear  Parents 

"This  goes  by  the  Asia  Capt.  Barry  of  Philadelphia.  Our 
business  here  will  be  despatched  by  the  25th  Inst,  at  which  time 
we  shall  sail  but  proposing  to  stop  at  the  West  Indies,  this 
probably  may  reach  you  before  us,  having  combated  with  rude 
Winds  through  the  whole  of  our  Voyage  by  being  too  late,  the 


*  Krakatoa,  lately  famous  for  its  calamitous  earthquake. 


9 


Anxiety  of  which  we  had  not  only  experienced,  but  suffered  in 
the  Sale  of  our  Property.  .  .  .  Our  passage  from  Madras 
was  Tedious  we  were  detained  through  the  Straits  of  Malacca 
26  days  by  calm  and  head  winds,  were  overtaken  by  the  N.E. 
Monsoon  before  we  got  in  and  even  after  we  got  in  thot  our- 
selves very  fortunate  to  arrive  here,  having  rode  out  a  Gale  of 
Wind  with  the  loss  of  two  Cables  and  anchors  off  I\laccao.  The 
enormous  charges  added  to  our  small  fund,  makes  our  home 
Cargo  very  Small,  we  [shall]  however  freight  Our  Ship  full,  for 
which  we  only  wait.  Page,  Jenckes  and  myself  are  well  all  the 
rest  of  us  are  in  good  Health  and  Spirits  which  are  dampened 
only  by  reflecting  on  the  immense  distance  that  Seperates  us 
from  our  dearest  Connection,  not  entering  into  perticulars  I 
content  myself  with  informing  you  of  our  Situation,  and  shall 
expect  (God  willing)  to  be  with  3'Ou  the  latter  end  of  July.  ]\ly 
afft.  love  to  my  dear  Brothers  and  Sisters  and  all  other  friends. 
I  remani  Aft.  Your  Son  and  Friend 

Henry  Smith." 

The  second  letter  is  also  addressed  to  his  parents  ;  from  an 
allusion  in  it,  one  w^ould  infer  that  Henry  Smith  was  a  nephew 
of  one  of  the  owners  of  the  ship.    The  letter  reads  : 

"Ship  Genl  Washington, 
[Superscription  omitted].  "  Feby  17th,  1789. 

"We  are  now  compleating  our  Wood  and  Water  on  the  Island 
of  Sumatra  at  the  entrance  of  the  Straits  of  Sunda,  took  our 
departure  from  Maccao  on  29  Jany  and  arrived  here  the  14th 
[of  February]  and  pleasingly  congratulate  ourselves  on  being 
so  far  towards  our  wished  for  destination  my  expectations  in 
this  voyage  were  never  very  great,  as  small  as  they  were  I  shall 
(with  the  owners)  find  myself  much  disappointed — I  however 
hope  to  convuice  them  that  I  have  ever  had  their  Interest  at 
heart  and  endeavored  to  act  conformably  to,  as  far  as  the  poiver 
of  my  agreement  would  permit,  which  was  nothing  at  all.  My 
good  Uncle  I  think  will  be  convinced  by  experience  not  to  give 
this  power  of  conducting  his  Property  in  the  hands  of  a  Soldier 
again."  (The  reference  is  to  Col.  Samuel  Ward,  the  supercargo). 
"  having  had  trial  with  a  number  of  Ships  are  pleased  with  our 
Ship's  Sailing,  and  doubt  not  should  the  W^inds  prove  propitious 
of  having  a  quick  passage.    ...    I  remain  Aff. 

Your  Son  and  Friend —  H.  S." 


lO 


The  invoice  of  the  General  Washington  s  cargo  purports  to  be 
an  "Invoice  of  Sundries  the  Cargo  of  the  Ship  General  Wash- 
ington to  be  sold  on  the  Coast  of  Coromandel."  The  largest 
item  consists  of  anchors  (of  various  grades)  to  the  value  of 
^1315  ;  then  comes  cordage,  ^1175  ;  sail-cloth,  ^290;  muni- 
tions of  war  (cannon,  gun  carriages  and  shot)  of  ^513  value  ; 
bar  iron  to  the  amount  of  ^430  ;  ^370  worth  of  sheet  copper  ; 
a  small  amount  of  steel ;  a  few  spruce  spars  ;  a  large  and  varied 
assortment  of  liquors,  including  rum  valued  at  ^780,  brandy 
^695,  Teneriffe  wines  to  the  amount  of  ^700,  claret,  porter, 
cordials  and  cider;  then  a  few  hams,  some  chocolate,  "44  boxes 
of  the  best  Narragansett  cheese,"  and  an  item  of  ^430  in  sper- 
maceti candles.  The  total  valuation  of  the  goods  invoiced 
amounts  to  ^7904  7s.,  or  (reckoning  i6f  cents  to  the  shilling) 
$26,348. 

This  record  of  the  first  voyage  from  Providence  to  India  and 
the  China  Seas  is  completed  by  the  manifest  of  the  cargo 
brought  back  to  Providence  by  the  General  Washington  in  the 
July  of  1789.  This  manifest,  which  antedates  the  Federal  ad- 
ministration of  the  customs  revenue  in  Rhode  Island,  was  found 
in  the  State  Impost  Book  for  1788-1789,  and  is  especially  valu- 
able because  it  is  apparently  the  sole  instance  where  a  valuation 
of  the  entire  cargo  is  given.  From  this  manifest  we  learn  that 
the  General  Washington  brought  to  her  owners  a  cargo  valued 
at  ^29,951,  or,  reckoning  i6f  cents  to  the  shilling,  $99,848. 
The  principal  item  was  240,000  lbs.  of  tea,  valued  at  from  7s. 
($1.17)  to  IS.  6d.  (25  cents).  Silks,  valued  at  $14,000;  china, 
$1,800;  cotton  goods,  $3,650;  lacquered  ware,  $550;  cloves  and 
flannels,  $144  each,  made  up  the  remainder  of  the  cargo. 

Such  was  the  first  voyage  of  the  first  ship  that  left  Providence 
for  India,  and  it  would  seem  on  the  face  of  it  as  if  Henry  Smith's 
predictions  of  her  owners'  disappointment  were  not  fulfilled. 
Certain  it  is  that  they  were  not  entirely  disheartened  by  the 
results,  for  on  December  26,  1789,  the  ship  Washington,  Capt. 
I3onnison,  sailed  again  for  India,  and  from  this  time  there  is  a 
steadily  increasing  number  of  such  clearances.  Records  of  sev- 
eral of  these  early  Indiamen  have  been  preserved,  and  their 
chronicles  are  attractive  from  the  adventurer's  as  well  as  from 
the  merchant's  point  of  view. 

First,  hovv^ever,  let  us  follow  the  General  Washington  to  the 
close  of  her  career.    Her  second  voyage  was  completed  on  June 


TI 


II,  1791,  and  in  October,  Brown  and  Francis  advertise  in  the 
Gazette,  "  Bohea  Tea,  in  Quarter,  Half,  and  Whole  Chests;  Sou- 
chong Tea,  in  Quarter  and  Half-Quarter  Chests  ;  Hyson  and 
Hyson-Skin  Ditto.,  in  Quarter  and  Half-Quarter  Chests  —  all 
fresh  imported  from  China  this  Year,  in  the  Ship  General  VVash- 
ingiou,  and  superior  to  any  Teas  now  in  the  Country."  A  long- 
list  of  china-ware  and  dry-goods  follows,  and  the  terms  of  pay- 
ment are  specified.  On  January  7,  1792,  the  General  Washing- 
ton cleared  for  Bombay,  and  in  the  Gazette  for  May  18,  1793,  we 
read  :  "  Monday  last  arrived  here  the  Ship  General  IVasJiington, 
Captain  Donnison,  in  5  months  from  Canton,  with  a  valuable 
cargo."  For  the  next  tv/o  years  w^e  lose  sight  of  her,  but  on 
May  15,  1795,  she  cleared  for  Calcutta.  Then  comes  another 
long  gap  in  her  annals,  and  the  next  item  that  appears  in  the 
Gazette  bears  the  date  of  December  19,  1801,  and  reads  :  "The 
Ship  ]VasJiingfo]i,  Captain  Cole,  of  this  Port,  was  at  Massafuero 
the  9th  of  August  on  her  way  to  Canton."  Nothing  further  is 
heard  until  June  26,  1S02,  when  this  item  appears  in  the  Gazette  : 
"  By  the  last  western  mail  letters  were  received  from  the  ship 
WasJiington,  Captam  Edv/ard  Cole,  of  this  port,  dated  the  24th  of 
October  last,  at  Albemarle,  one  of  the  Gallapagos  Ids.  in  the  South 
Sea,  where  she  had  stopt  for  turtle,  and  was  to  sail  the  same 
evening  or  next  morning  for  Canton,  all  well."  On  July  17, 
1S02,  we  find  :  "The  Ship  General  Washington,  Captain  Cole,  of 
this  port,  arrived  at  Canton  the  i6th  of  January  last."  Again, 
on  August  7,  1802  :  "Sunday  last  arrived  here  and  saluted  the 
town  the  ship  Washington,  Captain  Cole  (late  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Smith,  deceased),  after  a  passage  of  134  days  from  Canton." 

We  know  that  the  General  Washington  went  on  still  another 
voyage,  since  news  of  her  arrival  at  Cronstadt  reached  Provi- 
dence in  the  October  of  1803,  and  in  December  her  arrival  in 
Providence  is  chronicled.  Once  more,  only,  does  the  General 
Washington  appear  in  the  guise  of  an  Indiaman,  and  that  under 
quite  different  circumstances  than  heretofore.  On  the  3d  of 
December,  1803,  the  following  advertisement  appeared  in  the 
Gazette  : 

"  Sales  of  valuable  Russia  Goods.  By  order  of  the  Executors 
of  the  Will  of  the  Hon.  John  Brown  Esquire,  deceased,  On  Thurs- 
day 15th  of  December  at  the  stores  on  India- Point,  wall  be  Sold, 
at  public  Auction  (without  Reserve)  the  entire  Cargo  of  the  Ship 
General  Washington,  William  Smith,  Master,  from  Russia,  con- 


12 


sisting  of  130  Tons  of  St  Petersburg  clean  Hemp,  130  Tons  of 
new  Sable  Iron,  25  Tons  of  old  Sable  Iron,  5  Tons  of  best  as- 
sorted square  Iron,  2  Tons  of  Sheet  Iron,  100  Pieces  of  Ravenna 
Duck,  300  Bolts  of  best  heavy  Duck,  2  best  Down  Beds,  &c., 
&c.,  etc.,  5  or  6  Tons  of  Cordage,  assorted,  in  Lots  to  suit  Pur- 
chasers. Sales  to  begin  at  9  o'Clock  A.M.  The  Conditions  will 
be  Liberal. 

''Also  at  12  o'clock  on  the  same  Day  the  Remarkably  fine 
fast-sailing  Ship  General  Washington^  Burthen  360  Tons  per 
Register,  but  will  stow  600  Tons.  She  is  coppered  to  her 
loaded  Water-Line,  has  2  Suits  of  Sails,  is  well  found  in  every 
Respect,  and  could  be  put  to  Sea  at  very  small  Expense. 

"  Hezekiah  Sabin,  jun.  Attorney  to  the  Executors  of  John 
Brown  Esquire.    Providence,  December  3,  1803." 

After  the  change  of  ownership  had  taken  place  the  career  of 
the  Ge?ieral  Washington  was  confined  to  the  comparatively  in- 
glorious sphere  of  action  of  a  coasting  vessel.  Her  connection 
with  the  Indian  trade  is  chiefly  interesting  because  she  was  the 
first  vessel  to  leave  Providence  for  India  and  the  China  Seas, 
when  this  was  an  attempt  of  no  little  magnitude.  Other  India- 
men  had  far  more  adventurous  and  exciting  experiences,  and  in 
this  respect  none  equalled  the  John  Jay.  This  vessel  first  ap- 
pears upon  the  scene  of  action  in  a  newspaper  paragraph,  con- 
structed with  due  attention  to  the  requirements  of  the  occasion, 
— Providence  Gazette^  October  11,  1794  : 

"Wednesday  Morning  last  was  launched  a  nev/,  strong,  and 
elegantly  built  Ship,  Burthen  460  Tons,  belonging  to  Messrs. 
Brown,  Benson,  and  Ives. — The  Name  of  John  Jay  was  given 
her,  in  Honour  of  the  Abilities  and  Patriotism  of  the  distin- 
guished Statesman,  whose  Appointment  to  his  present  important 
Embassy  is  so  cordially  approved  by  all  who  vv^ish  for  the  Peace 
and  Prosperity  of  the  United  States. — The  Workmanship  dis- 
played in  constructing  this  Vessel,  reflects  high  Credit  on  the 
Artist,  Colonel  Benjamin  Tallman,  in  the  opinion  of  those  who 
are  skilled  in  naval  Architecture."  This  introduction  was 
speedily  followed  by  an  advertisement:  "A  Number  of  smart 
able-bodied  Seamen^  belonging  to  the  Town  of  Providence  and 
its  Vicinity— also  a  few  stout,  young  raw  Hands,  who  are  desir- 
ous of  going  to  Sea — are  invited  to  ship  on  board  the  new  ship 
John  Jay,  bound  for  the  East  Indies.  Apply  to  Brown,  Benson 
and  Ives."    On  January  3,  1795,  the  following  notice  appeared 


13 


in  the  Gazette:  "  Sunday  last  [December  28,  1794]  sailed  for 
India  the  large  and  elegant  new  Ship  John  Jay,  Captain  Olney, 
owned  by  Brown,  Benson,  and  Ives,  of  this  Town  —  Captain 
Samuel  Snow  has  gone  in  her  as  Supercargo." 

A  large  collection  of  the  John  Jays  papers  has  been  preserved 
by  the  firm  of  Brown  and  Ives,  and  among  them  is  the  following 
letter,  containing  an  account  of  her  first  voyage  : 

"Bombay,  27th  June,  1795. 

"  Messrs.  Brown,  Benson  and  Ives, 
"  Gentlemen, 

"  Through  the  poliLeness  of  Mr.  Adamson  we  are  indulged 
with  the  privilege  of  conveying  this  small  Scrip  overland  to  your 
correspondents  in  London  although  we  are  happy  in  this  oppor- 
tunity yet  [it]  is  with  the  most  painful  Sensations  that  we  an- 
nounce to  you  that  on  the  6th  Inst,  in  Lat.  14.30  North  longi- 
tude 69  East  by  the  change  of  the  Monsoon  the  severity  of 
which  we  believe  few  years  have  equalled,  we  just  escaped  from 
Death,  The  size  of  our  paper  will  only  admit  of  telling  you 
that  after  suffering  more  than  it  is  possible  to  express  in  seeing 
our  Spars,  Sails  rigging  &c  go  one  after  another,  that  in  about 
12  hours  we  were  left  with  onl}'-  one  Main  and  mizzenmast 
standing  having  lost  our  foremast.  Bowsprit  and  every  yard  sail 
and  spar,  Except  the  forementioned,  above  deck,  in  this  Situa- 
tion we  remained  until  next  day  when  the  gale  so  far  abated  as 
to  enable  us  to  rig  a  small  Jury  foremast,  with  which  with  the 
help  of  some  small  light  sails  we  reached  this  port  on  Saturday 
evening  the  13  Instant  7  Days  after  our  disaster,  our  Arrival 
here  in  the  opinion  of  most  people  was  looked  upon  next  to  a 
Miracle,  we  had  the  extreme  Satisfaction  during  the  gale  how- 
ever and  ever  Since  of  finding  the  Ship  perfectly  tight,  The 
Cargo  had  suffered  some  damage  by  breakage  &c.  jNIarkets 
very  bad.  Three  Americans  here  besides  us,  none  of  whom  will 
nett  the  first  cost  by  very  considerable,  no  freight  to  be  obtained, 
but  great  exertions  by  all  to  procure  a  load  of  Cotton,  as  but  a 
little  more  than  one  half  the  quantity  usual  is  at  Market  and  no 
more  expected.  We  secured  ours  next  day  after  our  Arrival  so 
that  we  shall  go  full.  The  America^  J.  Sampson,  will  not  get 
one  half  a  Cargo,  they  arrived  5  days  after  us  and  have  Offered 
5  to  ten  Rupees  [per]  Candy  more  than  we  have  given,  but  in 
Vain,  as  there  is  not  a  Cargo  ui  the  place;  Our  repairs  &c  here 


T4 

will  amount  to  an  amazing  Sum  which  in  addition  to  bad  mar- 
kets will  leave  you  but  small  prospects  from  this  port,  The 
War  makes  no  alteration  here,  so  that  our  expectations  on  that 
Account  are  frustrated.  We  sold  Gni  a.  lo^  Rupees  Rum  i 
Rupee  and  i  anna —  Sperm. «  candle  i  Rupee  and  Iron  19.5 
Ru.  pr.  ton.  Porter  will  not  bring  one  half  cost.  Cordage 
Anchors  &c  no  Sale. 

"We  wrote  to  Madras  the  Day  after  our  arrival  by  a  Ship  from 
this  port,  directed  to  Capt.  Rodman  or  Warnor;  the  Ship  will  be 
on  such  forwardness  as  expect  to  begin  taking  in  Cotton  next 
Week  and  are  determined  to  sail  if  possible  by  20th  July.  You 
will  be  sensible  that  five  or  six  weeks  must  be  very  short  to  spar 
and  rig  a  Ship  and  to  transact  our  other  business,  not  one  Mo- 
ment will  be  lost  in  action  for  of  all  things  deliver  us  from  an- 
other Monsoon  

"Crew  all  well  but  Bowen,  the  agreeable  news  of  the  commer- 
cial treaty  with  England  arrived  here  [a]  few  days  since  over- 
land. The  Atlantic  from  Philadelphia  which  sailed  20th  Dec"^  94 
arrived  here  three  Weeks  before  us,  which  made  some  difference 
in  our  trade.  Our  passage  here  was  167  days.  Inform  Mrs. 
Snow  and  Olney  we  are  well  and  hearty — And  believe  us — 

Gent™  Yours  &c  Sampson 

Danl  Olney " 

This  letter,  which  was  written  in  a  peculiarly  minute  hand 
and  crowded  upon  an  almost  incredibly  small  bit  of  paper, 
was  followed  by  another  entering  more  fully  into  particulars, 
and  giving  extracts  from  the  John  Jays  log,  describing  the 
storm  through  vv^hich  she  had  passed,  and  expatiating  upon  the 
state  of  the  cotton  market.  An  enclosed  statement  of  the  Jays 
repairs  makes  them  amount  to  ^1695  i6s. 

There  is  material  in  the  old  ship-papers  for  the  most  ample 
details  respecting  this  and  subsequent  voyages  of  the  JoJin  Jay. 
The  following  invoice  of  her  first  cargo  is  important  as  showing 
not  only  the  Indian  demand  but  also  something  of  the  general 
trend  of  industry  in  Rhode  Island.    It  is  dated 

"Providence,  December  22,  1794. 
"  Shipped  by  Brown,  Benson  and  Ives. 

"  Inv°  of  Cargo  on  board  the  Ship  John  Jay,  Daniel  Olney 
Master,  bound  for  Bombay  (in  the  Hither  Indies)  thence  to 


15 

Canton  in  China  and  consigned  to  Messrs.  Daniel  Olney  and 
Samuel  Snow  for  sale,  on  account  of  the  Owners"  viz 


Pig  Iron_47  Tons  ^566    5  5 

Bar  Iron — io4iTons.   2606  5 

Cordage  to  the  amt.  of    1166    6  6 

Rum — 47^  Hhds   103  11 

Holland  Gin — 1257  cases   1SS5  10 

34  Casks  London  Brown  Stout  Porter  / 

-6                                                c.        t  iS  o 

Beef,  pork,  and  other  stores   876 

Abt.  15. coo  ft.  White  Pine  Boards   67 

Anchors  and  Anchor  Stocks.  ....   27S  iS  6 

Porter — 2  kinds   iiS    2  6 

Candles   -79  17  3 

Geneva   13S    o  o 

Tobacco  ,   II  15  5 

Russia  Duck   144    o  c 

Ravena  do   119    o  o 

ic  :^Iasts   90  Dolls. 

67  Spars   30  do. 

Tallow  Candles   7^30    4  S 


This  list  includes  the  main  items  of  the  cargo,  the  total  value 
of  which  is  invoiced  at  ^10365.  Copies  of  the  instructions 
given  by  the  firm  to  the  supercargoes  also  exist.  They  are  told 
to  have  recourse  to  one  Dady  Xassereang,  at  Bombay,  with 
whom  the  firm  had  previously  transacted  business.  "  For  the 
Sale  of  goods  at  Bombay  it  has  been  customary  to  receive  bills 
of  Exchange  on  Canton,  payable  at  60  days  date,  on  Interest  at 
12  or  15  Percent  per  annum.  .  .  we  think  this  the  best  plan 
for  you  to  adopt,  and  obtain  at  Bombay  the  most  advantageous 
Cotton  freight  that  is  in  your  power.  In  times  of  profound 
Peace  the  /o/r/i  Jay  vre  think  would  make  a  freight  of  thirty 
thousand  Dollars  in  Cotton  from  Bombay  to  Canton  and  as  a 
very  small  proportion  of  European  Ships  will  probably  be  at 
Bombay  when  you  are  there  we  flatter  ourselves  you  will  be 
able  to  secure  a  freight  of  at  least  sixty  thousand  Dollars.  .  . 
At  Bombay  you  will  make  all  the  dispatch  possible  .  .  and 
when  Ship  is  loaded  proceed  on  to  Canton.  .  .  The  Pig  Iron 
you  have  on  board  the  Ship  will  be  sold  in  Canton  and  as  she 
will  not  want  any  other  balast,  we  think  it  best  to  have  her 


i6 


floored  off  with  China,  which  must  be  well  packed  in  Strong 
boxes.  .  ."  Directions  are  then  given  for  buying  teas  of 
various  sorts  and  qualities.  From  twenty  to  thirty  thousand 
dollars  may  be  invested  in  nankeens  and  silks,  on  a  credit  of  i8 
or  20  months.  "  You  must  observe  that  as  it  is  uncertain 
whether  the  present  European  War  will  be  ended  before  your 
Return,  it  will  by  no  means  be  prudent  to  take  on  board  the 
Ship,  on  freight,  any  goods  belonging  to  the  Citizens  or  Sub- 
jects of  any  of  the  Belligerent  European  Powers." 

Then  follows  a  memorandum  of  the  china  to  floor  the  ship  : 
"  30  to  40  Dining  Setts  of  common  blue  and  white  China.  5 
Setts  of  rather  better  Quality.  10  boxes  Coffee  Cups  and 
Saucers.  20  boxes  Tea  Setts.  Some  Pint  and  Quart  Bowls. 
A  few  boxes  of  Nankeen  blue  Cups  and  Saucers.  .  .  You 
may  invest  about  five  hundred  Dollars  in  an  handsome  assort- 
micnt  of  Lacquered  Ware,  if  very  low." 

A  letter  from  Canton  on  the  loth  of  January,  1796,  announces 
that  the  ship's  business  at  that  port  was  finally  concluded,  hav- 
ing been  further  delayed  by  an  outbreak  of  small-pox  among 
the  crew.  The  supercargo  continues  :  "  We  should  however 
have  waited  a  more  effectual  recovery  of  our  Crew  if  it  had  not 
been  for  the  opportunity  of  sailing  in  Company  with  five  more 
Americans  who  had  been  waiting  four  days  for  us,  and  who  also 
have  all  agreed  to  keep  Company  through  the  China  Seas,  and 
Straits  of  Banka  and  Sunday.  Seas  and  Straits  which  have  now 
become  very  dangerous  on  account  of  Pirates,  and  in  passing 
which  Single  Vessels  if  not  very  well  armed  are  frequently 
taken." 

If  we  add  to  these  details  the  entry  of  the  return  cargo,  we 
have  a  very  complete  account  of  the  JoJui  Jays  first  trip  to 
India.  By  far  the  greater  part  of  the  cargo  brought  home  con- 
sisted of  teas  of  various  grades,  amounting  in  all  to  over  560,000 
lbs.  Out  of  this,  543,000  lbs.  was  Bohea,  one  of  the  cheaper 
grades  of  black  tea.  The  remainder  of  the  cargo  is  interesting 
from  its  quality  and  variety,  quite  apart  from  its  value.  It  con- 
sisted of  : 

13  boxes  and  14  pieces  of  Silks. 
5  pieces  of  Lutestrings. 

2  Boxes  of  Umbrellas,  and  46  single  Umbrellas. 
483  bales  of  Nankeens. 
4  pieces  blue  do. 


n 

138  boxes,  8  rolls,  and  i  basket  of  China. 

2  China  pitchers. 

14  boxes  lacquered  ware. 
610  Ostrich  Feathers. 

4  pieces  Silk  Handkerchiefs. 

3  "     Gauze,  4  pieces  Lambskin. 
1800  rattans  and  canes. 

2  tubs  of  Sugar  Candy. 

4  "    Preserved  Fruits. 
I  Box  Sweetmeats. 

3  boxes  Fans. 

I  bundle  Window  Screens. 
I  bundle  Mats. 

I  Box  containing  7  Tea  Trays. 

I  Back  Gammon  Board. 

I  box  Rhubarb,    i  box  Opium. 

4  bales  Cassia.    2  tubs  Quicksilver. 

For  an  estimation  of  the  value  of  this  cargo  we  may  turn  to 
the  custom-house  manifest,  wherein  the  value  of  those  goods 
which  paid  ad  valorem  duty  (of  from  10  to  40  per  cent.)  is  given 
as  $75,406.48.  The  bulk  of  the  cargo  was  made  up  of  tea,  as 
we  have  seen,  and  tea  paid  specific  duties  according  to  its  clas- 
sified value  ;  and  although  the  amount  of  specific  duties  collec- 
ted appears  in  the  custom-house  manifests,  the  valuations  upon 
which  these  duties  were  made  do  not  appear.  Nevertheless,  by 
using  the  prices  quoted  in  the  manifest  of  the  Genej-al  Washing- 
ton seven  years  earlier,  we  have  an  approximate  standard  of 
comparison.  Thus,  by  comparing  the  specific  duties  levied  on 
tea  in  1796  with  the  prices  at  which  tea  was  valued  in  1789,  we 
can  get  an  idea  of  the  proportion  which  the  duty  bore  to  the 
value  of  the  goods  upon  which  it  was  collected,  and  this  would 
seem  to  be  about  one-third — 33-^  per  cent.  Adopting  this 
as  the  best  method  of  comparison  available — although  without 
claim  to  be  considered  as  anything  but  a  rough  estimate — and 
applying  it  to  the  cargo  of  the  John  Jay,  we  arrive  at  the  con- 
clusion that  the  specific  duties  (which  amounted  to  $60,296.96) 
represented  one-third  the  value  of  the  tea  ;  multiplying  by  three 
we  have  $180,891,  and  adding  to  this  the  valuation  of  the  other 
goods  given  above,  we  obtain  a  valuation  for  the  whole  cargo 
of  $256,297. 

3 


i8 


The  JoJm  Jay  cleared  for  her  second  voyage  on  April  9,  1797. 
A  journal  of  this  voyage  is  preserved.  It  is  ''Compiled  by  John 
Bowers  [the  supercargo]  onb/  vS.^  Ship,"  Mr.  Bowers  describes 
her  armament  as  follows  :  "  She  mounts  Six-Sixes — Six-Fours — 
Four  Swivels — and  is  furnished  with  Muskets,  Pistols,  Hangers, 
Cutlasses,  Boarding  Pikes,  &c  &c.  .  .  .  Navigated  by  25 
Seamen  besides  a  Steward  Cook  and  Boy  Number  of  Souls 
onboard  36." 

Then  we  find  the  invoice  of  her  cargo  :  Lead  bars  and  pigs 
to  the  amount  of  S2637.62;  anchors,  $415;  candles  (spermaceti), 
$715;  Geneva,  $900;  sherry  wine,  $240;  Madeira,  $4915. 

The  John  Jay  seems  to  have  returned  to  Providence  in  the 
March  of  1799  by  way  of  Russia,  as  on  the  23d  of  that  month 
this  advertisement  appears  in  the  Gazette  :  "Just  imported,  in 
the  ship  Jo/in  Jay,  from  Russia,  and  for  Sale,  by  Brown  and 
Ives,  On  liberal  Terms,  Best  St  Petersburgh  clean  Hemp,  Rus- 
sia Duck,  ist  and  2d  Qualities  Russia  Bar-Iron." 

In  the  May  of  that  year  (1799)  she  cleared  for  Batavia.  Ac- 
cording to  the  "Instructions  to  the  Supercargoes,"  they  were 
sent  direct  to  Batavia  "to  procure  a  cargo  of  the  best  Java 
Coffee,  the  latest  growth  to  be  preferrd  with  Sugar  of  the  first 
quality  sufficient  to  ballast  the  Ship  and  no  more,  poor  Sugar 
will  not  answer  to  bring  to  this  Country.  .  .  .  We  put  on 
board  the  Ship  toward  paying  for  her  cargo  six  Kegs  and  two 
Boxes  Dollars  containing  fifty-two  thousand  Dollars."  It  is 
further  agreed  that  the  captain  (Olney)  shall  receive  $1500  on 
the  completion  of  the  voyage,  and  five  tons  privilege  in  the 
ship. 

A  communication  from  Batavia  in  October,  1799,  reports  the 
ship  loaded  with  coffee  and  sugar,  and  ready  to  start  for  home. 
Returning,  she  reached  Providence,  March  22,  1800.  The  Jo/171 
Jay  sailed  on  her  fourth  voyage  to  India,  May  15,  1800,  and 
returned  in  July,  1801,  bringing  a  cargo  from  Canton  valued 
at  $318,315.08.  She  sailed  from  Newport  on  her  fifth  voyage, 
October  5,  1801,  carrying  a  cargo  of  Canton  white  sugar,  to- 
bacco, rice  and  nankeens  to  Amsterdam,  at  which  port  the 
supercargo  was  instructed  to  take  out  a  cargo  to  the  Indies  for 
the  Dutch  East  India  Company  on  commission,  since,  at  that 
particular  juncture  of  military  and  commercial  disputes,  direct 
trade  was  forbidden.  The  instructions  were  successfully  carried 
out,  and  the  John  Jay  returned  to  Providence  in  March,  1804. 


19 


In  November  of  the  same  year  she  cleared  again  for  Batavia, 
returning  in  September  of  1804  with  a  cargo  of  coffee  and  sugar. 
On  this  voyage  she  lost  her  supercargo,  Daniel  F.  Tillinghast, 
at  sea.  On  the  2 2d  of  September  she  sailed  for  Amsterdam, 
where  she  took  on  board  a  cargo  for  Sumatra  and  China,  con- 
sisting of  Swedish  iron,  brandy,  gin,  beef,  pork,  claret,  vrhite 
wine,  burgundy,  champagne,  hock,  :\Ialaga  wine,  muscatel,  pickles, 
Bologna  sausages,  smoked  tongues,  sweet  oil,  castile  soap,  and 
83,000  Spanish  milled  dollars,  the  whole  valued  at  gi 70,000  in 
round  numbers. 

The  next  news  of  the  /i^/in  Jay  is  an  interruption  of  the  even 
tenor  of  her  career.  On  her  homeward  voyage  she  was  captured 
by  the  British  sloop-of-war  Driver^  commanded  by  one  Captain 
Simpson,  January  6,  i8c6,  and  carried  into  Bermuda  on  the  12th 
of  the  same  month.  The  supercargo,  John  Bowers,  gives  the 
following  account  of  the  matter  : 

"St  George's  Harbor, 
"Island  of  Bermuda, 
"Messrs.  Brown  and  Ives —  "January  13,  1806. 

"  Gentlemen, 

"'  I  embrace  the  earliest  opportunity  to  give  you  the  disagree- 
able information  of  the  detention  of  your  Ship  JoJiii  Jay  by  his 
Britannic  -Majesty's  Sloop  of  AVar  Drive?-,  Capt.  R.  Simpson, 
who  fell  in  vrith  us  on  Monday  the  6th  Instant,  about  4  P.]M.  in 
Latitude  28156  X.  Longitude  68143  "^"^^est. 

"Capt.  Simpson  proceeded  immediately  on  boarding  the  Jo/ui 
Jay  to  take  possession  of  the  Ship's  Log  Books  and  all  the 
Papers  relating  to  the  present  Voyage,  all  which  were'  readily 
given  up,  wishing  to  give  him  every  reasonable  satisfaction  and 
information  as  to  the  Neutrality  of  the  Property  ;  this  it  seems 
was  not  sufficient  for  Capt.  Simpson,  who  "was  of  opinion  that 
we  had  violated  the  Law  of  Nations  by  trading  from  the  Mother 
Country  of  their  Enemy  to  the  Colonies,  for  which  reason  he 

had  a  right  to  send  the  Ship  in  for  adjudication  he 

then  gave  me  to  understand  that  the  circumstance  of  the  Ship's 
going  from  Holland  to  Batavia  was  sufficient  cause  to  condemn 
the  Property  how  far  he  may  be  right  m  his  conjectures  I  can- 
not say,  but  it  does  not  appear  to  me  that  it  would  be  just,  to 
condemn  Property  so  neutral  as  the  Jay  and  Cargo  are,  on  such 
Pretenses  As  I  have  not  the  Pleasure  of  being  ac- 


20 


quainted  with  any  Person  here,  I  must  only  hope  to  be  so  for- 
tunate as  to  procure  the  most  able  and  respectable  assistance 
that  can  be  obtained  Very  respectfully  Gentlemen, 

Your  Obdt  Serv^ 

John  Bowers." 

On  January  20  Mr.  Bowers  writes  :  "  Ship  and  Cargo  were 
Libelled  on  the  15th  instant,  and  the  Trial  will  be  held  in  twenty 
days  from  that  date,  if  it  is  a  Court  day,  otherwise  on  the  first 
Court  day  following —  how  soon  it  will  come  on,  God  only 
knows —  I  am  informed  the  proceedings  in  all  kinds  of  busi- 
ness here,  are  retarded  under  the  most  frivolous  pretexts." 
His  principals  in  Providence  were,  however,  fully  alive  to  the 
urgency  of  the  case.  We  find  them  applying  to  the  Providence 
Bank  for  a  letter  of  credit  for  $60,000. 

"  Feby  24,  1806. 
"  The  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Providence  Bank, 
"  Gentlemen, 

"  Being  about  sending  out  Col?  Samuel  Ward  to  Bermuda  to 
attend  to  the  Unfortunate  and  unjust  detention  of  our  Ship 
JoJni  Jay  and  her  Cargo — and  proposing  to  authorize  him  to 
[claim]  the  Ship  and  get  her  away  with  all  convenient  Dispatch, 
We  are  Preparing  Letters  of  Credit  and  responsibility  for  specific 
Sums  for  him  to  carry  out,  and  to  be  given  from  such  respect- 
able Authority,  As  to  Enable  him  to  Offer  the  most  unquestion- 
able Security  to  wait  the  Event  of  Bonds —  We  now  have  to 
propose  that  your  President  and  Cashier  furnish  us  a  letter  to 
Col.  Ward  for  the  sum  of  sixty  thousand  Dollars,  to  be  used  by 
him  in  Case  of  Need.  You  will  make  Security  to  the  Bank  for 
that  Amount  in  a  Deposit  of  Funded  Stock  to  the  full  Value  of 
said  Credit,  which  Stocks  you  to  hold  until  it  may  be  ascertained 
whether  the  letter  is  used  and  until  it  may  be  returned  to  you. 
We  presume  the  Security  now  offered  will  be  to  the  Entire  Satis- 
faction of  said  Directors  and  hope  for  your  kind  aid  in  our  Un- 
pleasant business. 

"  With  regards  and  Esteem 
"  We  are  Yours  " 

[Signature  torn  out]. 

The  sequel  is  here  given  : — 


21 


"  Providence  Bank 
"Saml  Ward  Esq  ''February  24,  1806. 

Sir, 

"As  you  are  about  embarking  for  Bermuda  for  the  purpose 
of  claiming  the  Ship  JoJm  Jay  and  her  valuable  Cargo  belong- 
ing as  we  verily  believe  entirely  to  Messrs.  Brown  and  Ives  of 
this  place,  Captured  off  Bermuda  by  a  British  Vessel  of  War 
and  those  Gentlemen  being  highly  esteemed  by  this  Institution 
as  well  as  by  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Town,  we  are  desirous  of 
giving  our  assistance  and  support  in  recovering  this  property, 
that  it  may  come  into  their  possession. 

''  It  is  well  known  here  that  this  House  commenced  business 
with  a  large  Capital,  which  has  unquestionably  been  increased 
by  their  Mercantile  operations  and  that  they  have  the  ability  to 
undertake  distant  enterprises  of  Magnitude  with  their  own 
means —  the  particular  object  of  this  address  is  to  furnish  you 
with  an  undoubted  Guarantee  for  the  sum  of  sixty  thousand 
Dollars  to  be  given  to  such  person  or  persons  in  Bermuda  or 
elsewhere  as  may  become  sureties  or  Bondsmen,  in  case  you 
should  think  it  expedient  to  give  Bonds  for  the  Property  and 
such  a  measure  should  be  assented  to  by  the  Court  of  Vice  Ad- 
miralty By  Order  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 

Providence  Bank  hereto  subjoined." 

This  letter  w^as  reinforced  by  another  document, — now  among 
the  Closes  Brown  Papers.    It  is  a  circular  letter  from  Moses 

Brown,  and  reads  as  follows  : 

"  Providence  26th  of  2  M?  

1806. 

"  To  all  whom  it  may  concern 

Whereas  it  appears  the  Ship  John  Jay^  belonging  to  Brown 
and  Ives,  Merchants  in  this  Town,  has  been  carried  into  Ber- 
muda by  one  of  the  King's  Sloops  of  War,  and  detained  there, 
and  Col.  Saml  Ward  as  their  Agent  is  about  Sailing  for  that 
place  in  order  to  claim  her  in  their  behalf,  and  to  Transact  the 
Necessary  Business  respecting  her  ;  in  In  Order  to  give  them, 
and  him,  the  Necessary  Credate  to  Effect  the  Business  he  goes 
upon,  I,  Moses  Brown,  of  the  Town  Aforesaid,  hereby  certify 
that  I  will  be  Responsible  for  the  said  Brown  and  Ives,  for  any 
Contract  their  said  Agent  may  make  in  their  Behalf,  concerning 


22 


the  said  Ship,  John  Jay,  while  at  Bermuda,  for  the  amount  of 
lo  ooo  Dollars. 

"They,  the  said  Brown  and  Ives,  indorsing  this  Letter  of 
Credit,  and  the  same  being  signed  by  the  said  Samuel  Ward  as 
their  Agent,  in  the  Negotiation  of  the  said  Business,  shall  be 
binding  against  the  said  Brown  and  Ives,  in  whom,  as  well  as 
their  Agent,  the  said  Samuel  Ward,  I  have  full  confidence. 

Moses  Brown." 

This  substantial  proof  of  confidence  on  the  part  of  Moses 
Brown  was  accompanied  by  a  letter  to  an  acquaintance,  which 
is  interesting  quite  as  much  from  the  light  which  it  throws  upon 
his  own  family  history  as  for  its  bearing  upon  the  detention  of 
the  John  Jay. 

"  Providence,  26th  2d  Mo. 
"  Esteemed  friend,  1806. 

"Not  having  particular  knowledge  of  any  other  person  in 
Bermuda  will  be  my  apology,  next  to  the  occasion,  of  addressing 
thee,  on  the  subject  of  the  Ship  Johii  Jay^  belonging  to  the 
house  Brown  and  Ives,  Merchants  of  this  Town,  being  carried 
into  your  Island  by  one  of  the  King's  Sloops  of  War,  of  her 
being  examined  by  two  other  Ships  and  dismissed  as  I  am  in- 
formed. I  apprehend  the  ground  of  capture  must  have  been 
Suspicion  of  her  Cargo  being  Enemy's  Property.  I  conceive 
myself  in  some  measure  bound  to  Represent  some  facts  relating 
to  the  Concern  as  briefly  as  I  can,  and  to  Solicit  thy  making 
such  Use  of  them  to  those  in  any  way  concerned,  in  Bermuda, 
as  thou  may  judge  proper,  in  order  for  their  Understanding  the 
Truth  and  Right  of  the  Case. 

"  My  Eldest  Brother  Nicholas  Brown  with  whom  I  was  for- 
merly connected  and  of  the  firm  of  Nicholas  Brown  and  Com- 
pany died  June  1791  Leaving  much  the  Largest  Property  that 
has  been  left  by  any  of  our  Citizens  who  have  died  before  him. 
Leaving  only  his  Son  Nicholas  Brown  Jun.  and  one  Daughter. 
I  was  an  Executor  to  his  Will  and  Testament  and  of  course 
possessed  full  knowledge  of  his  Affairs.  The  Firm  of  his  House 
was  then  Brown  and  Benson,  including  his  Son.  Ives,  one  of 
the  Owners  of  the  Ship,  not  long  after  my  Brother  died,  Married 
his  only  Daughter,  who  being  made  equal  in  his  Will  with  her 
Brother,  Ives  soon  became  a  Partner  in  the  House,  then  altered 


23 


to  the  firm  of  Brown,  Benson  and  Ives.  After  some  time,  and 
a  voyage  of  the  same  Ship,  the  JoJui  Jay,  to  India,  Brown  and 
Ives  purchased  out  their  partner,  George  Benson,  and  became 
the  sole  proprietors  of  the  Stock  in  Trade  and  altered  the  firm 
to  Brown  and  Ives,  being  then  a  House  of  Large  property  for 
our  State,  young,  Enterprising  and  active  they  extended  their 
Trade  as  their  Capital  Increased  by  a  Series  of  Successful  In- 
dustry and  has  become  one  of  the  most  Oppulent  and  Respect- 
able Mercantile  Houses  in  the  State  Trading  on  their  own 
Capital  in  such  Manner  as  to  have  Manifested  as  much  Integrity 
and  Punctuality  in  Business  as  any  in  the  State,  or  of  my  ac- 
quaintance in  New  England,  which  I  have  had  an  Opportunity 
of  knowing,  from  my  being  one  of  the  Directors  of  the  Bank  of 
Providence  the  first  and  Largest  in  the  State,  for  more  than  ten 
years  past,  where  they  have  transacted  much  Business. 

"Brown  and  Ives  have  steadily  owned  Upwards  of  one  hun- 
dred Shares  in  the  said  Bank,  the  Current  Price  of  which  has 
been  470  to  500  Dollars  a  Share,  and  Nicholas  Brown  having 
during  that  Period  and  up  to  the  present  time  been  also  one  of 
the  Board  of  Directors,  and  his  Partner,  Thomas  P.  Ives,  one  of 
the  Directors  of  the  Providence  Insurance  Company,  who  do 
their  Business  at  the  said  Bank,  in  that  as  well  as  other  State 
Institutions  they  are  Large  Stockholders,  as  also  in  the  Public 
Fund  of  the  United  States,  and  tho'  they  have  now  several  sail 
of  Ships  at  Canton  and  on  the  Indian  Sea,  yet  it  is  well  under- 
stood here  that  no  Merchants  of  their  extensive  trade  among  us 
do  their  Business  upon  their  own  property  so  generally  as  they 
do.  We  who  are  Intimate  with  them,  and  know  their  Business 
so  well,  that  we  are  fully  satisfied  that  no  foreigner  is  concerned 
with  them  in  their  (Trade,  and  well  assured  that  no  Such  is  in 
any  Manner  concerned  in)  the  Ship  John  Jay  now  at  Bermuda. 
Under  my  experience  of  their  Probity,  and'  Knowledge  of  their 
Business,  I  can  with  Clearness  recommend  them  and  their  Agent 
Colonel  Ward,  who  goes  out  to  Claim  the  Ship  and  Transact  the 
Necessary  Business  Relating  to  her,  to  thy  Attention  and  Civil- 
ities on  this  Occasion,  believing  should  it  fall  in  my  Way  to 
render  thee  or  any  of  thy  friends  a  Similar  Service  I  should 
take  Pleasure  in  doing  it,  and  am  respectfully  thy  friend—" 

(copy)     

John  Bowers — waiting  on  May  15,  1S06— reports  the  ship  and 


24 


cargo  condemned  by  the  Court  of  Vice  Admiralty  in  Bermuda, 
upon  the  following  points  :  the  general  course  of  trade  in  which 
the  ship  had  been  engaged  ;  the  cargo  imported  last  voyage  not 
unloaded  in  the  States  was  called  a  continuity;  "  the  Attestation 
of  Messrs.  Crommelins  [agents  at  Amsterdam]  before  the  Amer- 
ican Consul  not  deemed  Sufficient  Proof  as  to  Property  from 
Amsterdam.  The  clearance  for  Sumatra  and  China  when  bound 
to  a  port  of  the  Belligerent  was  held  as  a  false  destination,  the 
Iron,  though  flat  Bars,  considered  as  Contraband.  .  .  .  from 
the  Sentence  of  this  Court  I  have  moved  a  Appeal  to  the  Lords 
Commissioners  of  Appeals  by  whom  I  hope  and  trust  the  Prop- 
erty will  be  restored  with  Costs  and  da?nages.  ...  I  shall 
.  .  send  you  .  .  a  Copy  of  the  Condemnation  by  which 
you  will  see  the  Property  is  condemned  as  belonging  to  Subjects 
of  the  Batavian  Republic." 

The  appeal  shows,  by  a  customs  certificate  of  the  port  of  Prov- 
idence (September  i8,  1804),  that  the  John  Jay  brought  a  cargo 
of  peppers,  coffee,  and  sugar  from  Batavia  to  Providence, — 
making  that  port  on  September  4,  1804.  This  cargo  was  not 
unloaded,  but  carried  to  Amsterdam,  and  there  sold,  and  a  cargo 
whose  invoice  is  given  above  was  shipped  for  the  East  Indies. 
The  appeal  was  successful.  A  memorandum  upon  the  file  of 
the  Johfi  Jafs  papers  states  that  an  "appeal  was  entered  from 
said  decision  and  the  Ship  restored  on  Bail  sailed  the  19th  of 
June  and  arrived  at  Providence  28  June,  1806.  Ship  and  Cargo 
restored  by  High  Court  of  Admiralty  in  London."  Among  the 
papers  is  also  her  clearance  from  Bermuda,  "  having  on  Board 
the  Whole  of  the  Cargo  from  Batavia  except  the  Captain  and 
Crew  Adventured  and  given  up  by  the  Judge  of  the  Vice  Ad- 
miralty Court,"  bearing  the  date  June  16,  1806. 

Nor  did  her  adventures  end  here.  On  the  14th  of  October 
the  John  Jay  sailed  again  for  the  East,  and  her  log-book  records 
the  history  of  this,  her  last  voyage.  A  cargo  of  coffee  was 
taken  in  at  Batavia  with  good  success,  but,  sad  to  say,  the  good 
ship  struck  on  a  coral-reef  off  Pigeon's  Island,  where  she  had 
gone  for  pepper.  A  high  wind  drove  her  further  upon  the  rocks. 
All  efforts  to  get  her  off  were  failures,  and  after  pounding  for 
about  twenty-four  hours  she  began  to  fill  with  water, — but  so 
slowly  that  the  greater  part  of  the  cargo,  rigging,  and  stores 
were  brought  ashore.  Much  of  the  cargo  was  damaged  by 
water,  and  a  considerable  part  lost,  through  openings  in  the 


25 


bottom  of  the  ship.  Finally— five  days  after  striking  the  reef — 
the  JoJin  Jay  went  to  pieces,  on  August  22,  1807,  thus  bringing 
her  checkered  career  to  a  somewhat  tragic  close. 

Only  eighteen  months  earlier  the  Indiaman  Ann  and  Hope 
(the  property  of  the  same  firm)  had  been  lost  on  Block  Island, 
at  the  conclusion  of  a  prosperous  voyage.  This  vessel,  the  first 
Ann  and  Hope  (for  there  was  subsequently  another  Indiaman  of 
the  same  name),  was  built  in  1798,  starting  on  her  initial  voyage 
on  July  9th.  She  is  duly  mentioned  in  the  Gazette  as  "the  new 
and  elegant  coppered  Ship  Ann  and  Hope,  of  550  tons.  Captain 
Sam'l  Snov\",  of  this  Town,  who  is  appointed  Consul  for  the 
United  States  at  Canton,  goes  Supercargo  of  the  Ship.  She 
mounts  12  Nine-Pounders,  and  carries  60  Fine  Fellows,  by  way 
of  Role  d'Equipage." 

Letters  received  from  her  in  the  ]\Iay  of  1799  dwelt  proudly 
upon  her  excellent  sailing  qualities.  She  reached  Canton  in 
five  months  and  one  day,  having  stopped  four  days  at  New- 
Holland  (Australia)  in  the  course  of  a  voyage  which  had  a  spice 
of  the  adventurous.  The  ship's  log  gives  scarcely  a  hint  of  any- 
thing unusual,  but  the  ship's  surgeon  was  more  communicative, 
and  a  letter  in  the  Gazette  of  ]^Iay  18,  1799,  dated  "Wampoa 
(China)  Dec.  17,  1798,"  enters  into  details.  He  says  :  "I  wrote 
you  last  from  Port  Jackson  in  New-Holland  and  gave  a  circum- 
stantial account  of  our  voyage,  till  our  arrival  there.  I  will  add, 
that  after  bearing  several  days  off  Port  Jackson,  and  finding  it 
in  vain  to  contend  with  adverse  winds  and  a  strong  current,  we 
fell  to  leeward  and  ran  into  Botany  Bay,  'that  southern  realm 
and  land  of  rogues.'  where  we  anchored  Oct.  21.  Next  day 
Messrs.  Snow,  Page  jun,  Thompson  and  myself,  went  to  Sidney, 
a  British  settlement  about  9  miles  distant,  where  we  waited  on 
Gov.  Hunter,  and  were  politely  received.  After  tarrying  2  days, 
we  returned  to  the  ship,  accompanied  by  some  of  the  best  char- 
acters of  Sydney,  who  dined  on  board."  On  the  25th,  the  Ann 
and  Hope  again  put  to  sea,  and  after  some  digression  the  letter 
continues  :  "On  the  30th  Nov.,  at  4.30  P.M.  we  made  the  Id.  of 
Tinian.  .  .  Next  day,  came  to  anchor  in  the  road.  .  .  As 
we  lay  at  anchor,  we  discover'd,  by  means  of  a  glass,  2  flags 
flying  on  Lord  Anson's  beach,  and  a  man  walking  backw'd  and 
forw'd,  seemingly  in  great  agitation.  When  the  pinnace  drew 
near  the  shore,  he  hailed  her,  and  inquired  what  countrymen  we 
were.    Being  told,  he  was  quest'n'd  in  turn.    He  replied  that  he 


26 


v/as  an  unfortunate  Lascar,  cast  away  there  in  the  brig  Bramin, 
fr.  Macao,  Capt.  Swain,  formerly  of  Providence  (R.  I.)  When 
the  Capt.  got  on  shore,  the  Lascar  prostrated  himself  at  his  feet 
in  the  oriental  manner.  He  informed  us  that  he  was  the  only 
human  being  on  the  island,  and  begged  to  be  taken  on  board 
and  deliver'd  from  death.  The  scene  was  affecting.  Captain 
Page  consoled  him  by  assuring  him  that  he  should  return  in  the 
ship  to  Macao,  where  he  would  find  vessels  bound  for  Bengal 
and  be  restored  to  his  friends.  He  is  about  25  years  of  age  .  . 
and  is  a  man  of  talents.  He  converses  in  English,  French, 
Spanish,  Portugese  and  Malay,  besides  his  own  language. 
He  says,  that  the  brig  was  originally  commanded  by  Captain 
M'Clellan,  an  Irishman,  who  died  at  Leuconia  ;  that  the  mate, 
whose  name  was  Swain,  succeeded  to  the  command  ;  that  they 
arrived  at  Tinian  about  18  months  since,  and  preserving  no 
order,  the  Captain  being  on  shore,  and  the  people  on  board  in- 
toxicated, she  parted  her  cable  in  the  monsoon  at  night,  and 
struck  on  the  reef,  where  she  went  to  pieces.  The  people  were 
all  saved,  except  one,  and  part  of  the  cargo  was  likewise  pre- 
served. The  crew  lived  some  months  in  huts,  after  which  the 
whites  were  taken  off  by  a  vessel  bound  to  the  northwest  coast. 
The  Lascars,  9  or  10  in  number,  remained  till  the  arrival  of  a 
Spanish  vessel,  when  they  were  confined  in  irons,  and  all  carried 
off  except  this  unfortunate  man,  who  escaped  into  the  woods. 
When  the  Spaniards  had  sailed,  he  returned  to  the  huts,  but 
found  them  plundered  of  everything  that  had  been  saved  from 
the  wreck.  Here  he  had  spent  his  time  in  solitude  and  tears 
till  our  arrival.  Tinian  abounds  with  fruit,  such  as  oranges, 
limes,  guavoes,  bread  fruit,  cherries,  plumbs,  beans,  cocoa-nuts, 
tree  cabbage,  &c.  cotton  and  indigo  are  also  in  great  plenty  ; 
large  white  cattle  are  numerous,  and  hogs  and  fowls  abundant. 
We  saw  the  ruins  of  some  pyramidal  pillars  mentioned  by  Lord 
Anson,  but  none  of  the  pillars  are  standing.  This  beautiful 
island,  even  in  its  present  uncultivated  state,  appears  to  be  one 
of  the  finest  and  most  desirable  spots  on  earth.  We  remained 
there  about  12  hours,  got  a  supply  of  vegetables,  and  then  took 
our  departure.  It  is  about  12  miles  in  length,  6  in  breadth,  and 
lies  in  lat.  15  N.  long.  146  E." 

On  June  22,  1799,  the  arrival  of  the  A/ui  and  Hope  in  Provi- 
dence is  noted,  126  days  from  Canton;  she  reported  that  "on 
the  7th  inst.  at  3  in  the  morning,  Lat.  30:42  N.  long.,  64:30  W. 


27 


Captain  Page  fell  in  with  a  privateer  of  14  guns,  full  of  men. 
She  hailed  from  Bermuda,  and  shewed  English  colors,  but  was 
supposed  to  be  French.  After  following  the  ship  upon  her 
course  15  hours,  she  fired  3  shot,  which  number  was  well  re- 
turned, the  A7in  a  fid  Hope  mounting  12  Nine-pounders.  Finding 
Captain  Page  prepared  to  give  her  a  warm  reception,  she  hauled 
her  wind  and  left  him.  During  her  voyage,  the  Ann  and  Hope 
has  not  met  with  a  ship  which  outsailed  her."  The  log-book  of 
this  first  voyage  exists,  as  kept  by  Christopher  Bentley,  mate,  but 
it  is  so  badly  written  and  mis-spelled  as  to  be  almost  illegible, 
and  the  entries  are  very  scanty. 

On  the  loth  of  August,  1799,  t\\Q  Ann  and  Hope  cleared  for 
her  second  voyage  to  Canton,  this  time  under  Christopher 
Bentley  as  ]\Iaster,  a  peculiarly  well-timed  change,  so  far  as  the 
purposes  of  the  historical  student  are  concerned,  since  the  keep- 
ing of  her  log  thereupon  devolved  upon  one  Amos  Warner,  who 
acquitted  himself  most  creditably  of  the  task.  The  ship  reached 
Canton  on  January  22,  1800,  having  taken  what  was  known  as 
the  Eastern  route,  around  New^-Holland,  and  made  her  passage 
in  the  exceptionally  short  time  of  five  months.  The  Gazette  of 
August  2,  1800,  published  another  letter  from  the  surgeon  of  the 
Ann  and  Hope,  dated  "January  26,  AVhampoa  (Canton  Bay)." 
After  describing  the  voyage  and  praising  enthusiastically  the 
sailing  qualities  of  the  Ann  and  Hope,  he  says  :  "  It  is  remark- 
able that  the  western  coast  of  New-Holland  should  be  vexed 
with  almost  perpetual  storms — while  the  eastern,  which  is 
washed  by  the  Pacific,  enjoys  a  serene  sky,  a  smooth  sea,  and  a 
climate  equal  to  the  finest  in  Europe  ;  so  that  after  doubling  the 
South  Cape  you  seem  as  it  were  in  another  world. 

"  In  avoiding  all  the  Straits,  and  taking  a  route  far  east, 
agreeably  to  orders,  we  did  not  find  so  open  a  sea  as  we  ex- 
pected. On  the  5th  of  December  in  lat.  19  S.  long.  177:30  E. 
at  daybreak,  saw  land  on  our  starboard  beam,  bearing  East, 
which  surprised  us,  our  chart  laying  down  no  land  in  this 
region. 

We  coasted  along  120  miles  in  a  N.  W.  course,  and  saw,  as 
we  judged,  more  than  30  different  islands.  These  I  suppose 
must  be  the  northwesternmost  of  the  Friendly  Isles,  which  were 
described  to  Captain  Cook  (when  at  Tongataboo  and  Anamoka) 
as  lying  about  500  miles  in  a  N.  W.  direction.  The  natives  call 
them  Hamoa,  Vavaoo  and  Feejee,  and  described  the  inhabitants 


28 


as  being  more  ferocious  than  the  other  Friendly  Islanders. 
Captain  Cook  did  not  proceed  to  explore  these  islands,  and  it  is 
probable  we  are  the  first  whites  who  have  seen  them.*  They 
appear  to  be  well  cultivated  and  are  laid  out  in  regular  planta- 
tions. .  .  .  Certainly  this  part  of  the  world  has  been  but 
little  explored.  From  lat.  19  S.  to  10  N.  we  were  entangled  by 
land  and  shoals,  and  our  chart  having  deceived  us,  we  could 
place  no  reliance  on  it.  The  nights  were  excessively  dark,  and 
in  some  instances  the  course  we  steered  must  have  precipitated 
us  on  the  reefs  or  ashore  ;  but  the  Deity  who  regards  the  lives 
of  the  meanest  of  his  creatures,  tempered  the  winds  contrary  to 
our  vain  wishes." 

According  to  the  log,  the  Anti  and  Hope  left  Canton  on  March 
13,  1800.  The  log  for  April  22  says:  ''At  2  P.M.  we  were 
abreast  of  the  Dutch  Fortress  at  Ballambonang  River  where  the 
Governor,  whose  name  is  Clement  de  Harris  resides  in  a  decent 
2  Story  square  handsome  built  Dutch  house."  On  July  31st,  a 
little  skirmish  with  a  privateer  enlivened  the  monotony  of  the 
voyage.  On  August  16,  the  A7in  and  Hope  arrived  at  Newport, 
where  the  cargo  was  discharged.  No  itemized  account  of  the 
cargoes  of  these  first  two  voyages  has  been  found.  Judging 
from  the  custom-house  manifests  the  good  ship  brought  home, 
in  1799,  a  cargo  valued  at  $314,987.50;  in  1800,  a  cargo  valued 
at  $324,388.60.  On  her  third  trip,  the  Ann  and  Hope  went  to 
London,  and  there  shipped  a  cargo  for  Canton,  of  which  the 
invoice  has  been  preserved.  It  reads  thus  :  "  Invoice  of  sundry 
Merchandise  Shipped  by  Thomas  Thom.pson  on  board  the  Amer- 
ican Ship  An?i  and  Hope,  Christopher  Bently  Master,  bound  for 
Canton  in  China  and  consigned  Samuel  Snow  Esq.  American 
Consul  residing  there,  for  account  and  risque  of  Messrs.  Brown 
and  Ives  Merchants  of  Providence  State  of  Rhode  Island  and 
Natives  and  Citizens  of  the  United  States  of  America.— Viz. 
80  Bales  containing  1600  [itemized  as  so  many  long  ells,  black, 
purple,  blue,  scarlet,  &c.]  amounting  to  ^4220  ;  Cloths,  calicoes, 
etc.,  ^14000 ;  Cutlery  [table  knives  and  forks,  carvers  with 
guards,  penknives,  &c.];  Ebony  tables,  white  and  green  ivory 
tables.  Tumblers,  wine  and  water  glasses,  decanters,  lamps  ; 
Squares  of  picture  glass  ;  Metal  gilt  watches,  silver  watches. 


*In  reality  the  Fiji  Islands  had  been  discovered  by  Abel  Tasman  long  before,  in  1643. 


29 


gold  watches;  Pale  ale,  and  Brown  stout."  The  total  amount 
of  the  cargo  shipped  at  London  was  ;^2o, 187-12-7. 

From  the  Gazette  we  learn  that  the  Ann  ajid  Hope  reached 
Canton,  August  30,  1801,  in  four  months  and  ten  days  from 
London — all  well.  That  she  came  safely  to  Providence  in  due 
course  of  time  we  may  assume  from  the  fact  that  she  cleared  for 
Manilla  in  the  May  of  1802.  In  October  of  that  year  she  left 
Batavia  for  Cowes,  where  she  arrived  the  April  following  (1803). 
From  there  she  sailed  to  Amsterdam,  and  thence  to  the  Baltic 
ports,  and  reported  from  Cronstadt  on  May  31st.  She  cleared 
for  Batavia,  on  her  fourth  voyage,  November  12,  1803,  and  re- 
turning, reached  Providence  in  August,  1804.  On  November  10 
she  cleared  for  the  East  Indies,  via  Lisbon  ;  she  reached  Batavia, 
May  2,  1805  ;  and  on  the  return  voyage  came  to  an  inglorious 
end  on  Block  Island.  An  account  of  the  wreck  is  in  the  Gazette 
for  January  18,  1806  :  "With  regret  we  announce  that  in  the 
night  of  Friday,  the  loth  inst.  the  large  and  elegant  ship  Ann 
and  Hope,  Capt.  Laing  of  this  town,  was  lost  on  Block  Id.  and 
that  but  little  of  the  cargo  will  be  saved.  She  was  from  Batavia, 
last  from  the  Isle  of  France,  w^here  she  put  in  for  repairs,  and 
had  on  board  a  very  valuable  cargo." 

Among  other  notable  vessels  was  "  The  President^''  or  the 
President  Washington''  as  she  seems  to  have  been  indifferently 
called.  She  is  described  by  the  Gazette  of  January  8,  1791,  as 
follows  :  "  On  Thursday  i\Iorning  a  most  elegant  coppered  Ship, 
called  The  President^  belonging  to  Messrs.  Brown  and  Francis, 
was  launched  at  the  Ship-yard  near  Fox-Point.  She  is  intended 
for  the  Indian  trade,  is  950  Tons  Burthen,  and  allowed  to  be  the 
best  Ship  ever  built  in  New  England.  The  weather  proved  un- 
commonly fine,  and  she  moved  majestically  from  the  Ships, 
amidst  the  Plaudits  of  an  immense  Concourse  of  Spectators, 
among  whom  was  a  brilliant  assemblage  of  the  fair  Daughters 
of  America." 

This  vessel  made  but  one  voyage  for  her  Providence  owners. 
In  the  Gazette  for  September  14,  1793,  we  read  :  "A  few  Days 
past  a  Waggon  with  between  50  and  60,000  Dollars  in  Specie, 
was  unloaded  at  the  Bank  in  this  Town,  and  the  Money  de- 
posited in  the  Vaults — the  Property  of  Messrs.  Brown  and  Fran- 
cis, Merchants,  and  Part  of  the  Proceeds  of  the  Ship  President 
Washington^  and  her  Cargo,  sold  at  Calcutta  in  1792.  This  sum 
being  7nore  Specie  than  they  have  ever  shipped  to  the  Indies,  al- 


though  for  Six  years  past  considerably  engaged  in  that  Trade, 
it  is  expected  will  operate  on  the  Minds  of  thinking  People  to 
do  away  with  a  Prejudice  against  the  Trade,  and  convince  them, 
that  it  is  our  Duty  to  encourage  it,  as  being  much  more  advan- 
tageous than  for  us  to  continue  the  Retailers  of  Indian  Goods 
for  European  Merchants."  That  the  Presidcfit  was  purchased 
by  some  Dutch  firm  is  probable,  since  the  next  (and  last)  news 
of  her  is  an  item  stating  that  she  sailed  from  Canton  to  Ostend, 
and  there  advertised  for  sale  a  cargo  consisting  of  "  91 1,700  lbs. 
Bengal  sugar,  21,500  lbs.  gum  arable,  121  bags  coffee,  475  chests 
of  tea,  besides  large  Quantities  of  Piece  Goods." — {^Gazette,  July 
15^  1793-) 

The  "  large  and  elegant  ship,  called  George  Washington  (built 
by  Messrs.  Brown  and  Francis  for  the  India  Trade),"  left  Provi- 
dence on  her  first  voyage  in  January,  1794,  via  Madeira.  She 
made  a  voyage  to  China  and  Batavia  in  1796,  and  upon  her  re- 
turn was  purchased  by  the  United  States  Government  and  fitted 
as  a  cruiser.  The  event  is  of  course  commented  upon  by  the 
Gazette^  wherein,  under  the  heading  ''Wooden  Walls  of  America," 
is  retailed  successively  the  appointment  of  her  captain,  the  pro- 
gress of  her  preparations  in  respect  both  of  men  and  ammuni- 
tion,— the  former  coming  from  Worcester,  the  latter  from  "the 
Foundry  in  Scituate  "  (14  nine-pounder  cannon), — and  the  hope 
is  expressed  that  the  new  frigate  "may  be  successful  in  protect- 
ing and  defending  the  Trade  of  the  United  States  against  pirat- 
ical Depredators."  The  George  Washington  is  also  described  in 
a  government  report  of  "  Vessels  purchased  by  the  Public,  now 
in  service,"  for  the  year  1798,*  as  being  of  624  tons,  mount- 
ing 24  guns,  and  having  a  crew  of  220  men.  She  was  "pur- 
chased of  John  Brown,  of  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  with  masts, 
spars,  sails,  etc.,  nearly  prepared  to  receive  her  guns  and  mili- 
tary stores,  for  $10,400  cash."  The  subsequent  career  of  the 
George  Washington  maybe  followed  quite  at  length  in  the  pages 
of  the  Gazette.  For  instance,  under  date  of  March  14,  1801  : 
"The  George  Washington  frigate,  Capt.  Bainbridge,  arrived  at 
Constantinople  on  the  23d  of  December,  with  tribute  or  presents 
from  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  estimated  to  be  worth  5  millions  of 
piastres.  'This,'  says  a  London  paper  of  Jan.  18,  is  'the  first 
ship  of  war  belonging  to  the  United  States  that  ever  entered  a 


*  Am.  State  Papers,  Vol.  XIV.,  pp.  58,  59. 


31 


Turkish  harbor.  The  American  Captain  was  under  the  immedi- 
ate protection  of  the  Algerine  Ambassador,  and  was  received  in 
the  most  hospitable  manner  by  Lord  Elgin,  the  British  Ambas- 
sador.' The  George  Washington  ^vas  built  at  Providence,"  goes 
on  the  Gazette^  "and  was  formerly  an  Indiaman  from  this  port. 
A  number  of  young  men  belonging  to  this  town  and  state  are 
on  board  of  her." 

For  evidence  as  to  the  character  of  the  imports  brought  to 
the  United  States  fro  mi  India  we  have  the  invoices  which  have 
been  already  quoted  ;  and  a  large  amount  of  assorted  informa- 
tion may  be  obtained  from  the  contemporary  newspaper  adver- 
tisements, some  of  which  are  so  quaint  as  to  be  interesting  as 
wxll  as  useful.    Among  the  earliest  is  one  dated  May  22,  1790. 

A  large  Vendue. — On  Tuesday,  the  8th  of  June  next,  at  9 
o'clock  in  the  Morning,  will  be  exposed  to  public  Sale,  at  Hop- 
pin  and  Snow's  Auction-Office,  Near  the  Great  Bridge,  Provi- 
dence, A  large  Quantity  of  India  Goods,  Just  imported  in  the 
Ship  Warren,  Capt.  Pardon  Sheldon,*  directly  from  Calcutta 
(the  Capital  of  Bengal)  consisting  of  as  great  a  Variety  as  has 
ever  been  sold  at  any  Vendue  in  New- England  ;  among  which 
are — Printed  Calicoes  and  Chintzes,  of  every  Kind  ;  Muslins 
and  Muslin  Handkerchiefs,  of  all  Sorts  ;  long  ("loths  of  differ- 
ent Qualities  ;  and  many  other  Cotton  Cloths  ;  which  from  their 
Durability  have  been  found  very  profitable  for  Family  Use, 
either  as  Shirting  or  Sheeting. — 

"Also,  Bandano  and  Pulicat  Silk  Handerchiefs,  Persians, 
Taffetas,  Ginghams,  Doreas,  Bastas,  East  and  West-Indian  Cot- 
ton, excellent  Saltpetre,  a  few  Chests  of  best  Bohea,  Hyson  and 
Souchong  Teas  ;  Window-Glass,  an  Assortment  of  Manchester 
Cotton  Goods,  and  many  other  New  Goods,  which  would  not  be 
generally  known  by  their  names,  therefore  we  have  omitted  the 
particulars  ;  all  which  will  be  sold  in  such  Lots  and  Quantities 


*  The  following  is  Capt.  Sheldon's  epitaph  :  "  This  monument  is  erected  to  the  memory 
of  Captain  Pardon  Sheldon,  who  departed  this  life  on  the  3d  of  February,  1838,  aged  98  years, 
3  mos.  and  13  days. 

"  He  was  a  native  of  Providence,  and  for  71  years  an  exemplary  member  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church.  In  early  life  his  predilections  led  him  to  look  upon  the  ocean  for  his  home. 
His  intelligence,  industry  and  perseverance  soon  obtained  for  him  a  high  place  in  his  profession 
and  his  courage  and  experience  as  a  nautical  commander,  caused  him  to  be  selected  to  take 
charge  of  one  of  the  first  ships  ever  fitted  from  this  country  for  the  East  Indies. 

"  For  almost  a  century  he  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens  affording  them  in 
his  well  established  character  an  illustration  that  to  be  useful  was  to  be  good,  that  to  be  virtu- 
ous was  to  be  beloved  ;  that  in  life  he  could  be  respected,  in  death  lamented." 


32 


as  may  best  suit  the  Purchasers — to  accommodate  whom,  if 
more  agreeable,  we  would  receive  one-half  of  the  Purchase 
Money  in  Loan-Office  Certificates,  or  Final  Settlements,  at  the 
highest  going  Price  at  the  time  of  the  Sale,  Flattering  ourselves 
that  the  great  Variety  and  Richness  of  the  Goods  will  be  an  Ob- 
ject sufficient  to  induce  Gentlemen  from  other  States  to  attend 
the  Auction,  we  would  just  note,  for  their  Information,  that 
there  is  the  greatest  Probability  that  the  Convention  of  this 
State,  which  meets  at  Newport  next  Week,  will  adopt  the  Con- 
stitution, whereby  every  Embarrassment  which  at  present  at- 
tends the  Transportation  of  Goods  from  this  to  the  neighboring 
States  will  be  removed,  so  that  the  Purchasers  will  be  enabled 
to  convey  their  Goods  to  their  respective  Homes,  free  from  any 
Impediment  whatever.  The  Sale  will  be  continued  from  Day 
to  Day.    Hoppin  and  Snow." 

Here  is  another,    containing   more   detailed   information  : 

Providence,  June  i,  1793.  Just  imported.  In  the  Ship  Rising 
Sun  direct  from  Canton,  and  for  Sale,  by  Brown,  Benson  and 
Ives,  Fresh  Bohea  Tea  of  the  first  Quality,  in  Chests,  Half,  and 
Quarter  Chests,  China,  a  great  Variety,  Sattins,  Lutestrings, 
Persians,  Taffetas,  of  different  Qualities,  black  and  other  Col- 
ours, A  Variety  of  fashionable  Silks  and  Silk  and  Cotton,  for 
Gentlemen's  Summer  Wear,  Nankeens,  Elegant  Sattin  Shoe- 
Patterns,  Pearl  Buttons  with  Gold  Figures,  Superfine  Lambskins, 
Ivory  and  lacquered  Ware,  Tea-Caddies,  A  large  Assortment  of 
lacquered  Tea-Trays,  Waiters,  Bottle-stands,  &c,  &c.  Silk 
Handkerchiefs,  Hair  Ribbons,  Cinnamon  and  Cinnamon  Buds, 
Black  Pepper,  200  Boxes  excellent  Sugar,  &c." 

On  October  5,  1793,  we  find  Brown  and  Francis  offering  for 
sale  "A  Variety  of  India  Goods,  imported  this  Season  direct 
from  Canton  and  Calcutta,  viz.  :"  Then  follows  the  usual  list  of 
teas,  souchong,  hyson  and  bohea,  and  then:  ''China  W^are,  a 
handsome  and  general  Assortment,  consisting  of  blue  and  white, 
and  red  and  white  and  enamelled  Tea  and  Coffee  Cups,  Tea  and 
Table  Setts,  &c."  Among  other  items  are  mentioned  "Canton 
and  Cochin  China  white  powdered  Sugar — Oil  Cloth  and  Silk 
Umbrellas,  India  Canes." 

In  1800  (October  18),  an  advertisement  of  a  more  specialised 
sort  appears  :  India  Goods  Store.  Opened  and  ready  for 
Sale  at  the  Sign  of  the  Padlock,  the  following  articles,  viz.: 
Silks— A  Variety  of  Sattins,  Lutestrings,  Perlians,  Pealings, 


33 


black  and  blue  Stripes  for  Coats  and  Vests,  Shawls,  Handker- 
chiefs, sewing  Silk,  white  Silk  Fringe,  and  Ribbons,  Cottons. 
Colored  Nankeens  for  Children's  Winter  Wear,  Cotton  Lamb- 
skin, .  .  .  India  Cottons  of  various  kinds.  .  .  .  Fans, 
Lacquered  Ware,  China  Ware,  Teas,  India  Sugar — by  the  Pub- 
lic's obedient  Servant  John  Lippitt." 

Agani,  on  June  29,  1803,  Benjamin  Hoppin  and  Son  advertise 
the  entire  cargo  of  the  ship  Rolla^  Captain  Arnold,  from  Cal- 
cutta, for  sale  at  auction,  consisting  of  "125  bales  of  well- 
chosen  white  cottons,  125  bales  of  fine  and  coarse  chintz  and 
seersucker,  3  boxes  of  bandanoes,  i  box  of  best  double  twilled 
ditto,  I  box  of  choppa  romal  ditto,  2  boxes  of  lungee  ditto,  2 
boxes  of  susteroi  ditto,  So  bags  of  best  white  sugar,  40000  se- 
gars,  and  a  variety  of  other  goods." 

A  curious  advertisement  is  in  the  Gazette  for  May  12,  1S04. 
"Yam  Shinqua,  China-Ware  Merchant,  at  Canton,  Begs  Leave 
respectfully  to  inform  the  American  ]\Ierchants,  Supercargoes 
and  Captains,  that  he  procures  to  be  manufactured,  in  the  best 
Manner,  all  sorts  of  China-Ware,  with  Arms,  Cyphers,  and  other 
Decorations  (if  required)  painted  in  a  very  superior  Style,  and 
on  the  most  reasonable  Terms.  All  Orders  carefully  and 
promptly  attended  to.    Canton  (China)  Jan.  8,  1804." 

Some  idea  of  the  increase  in  the  volume  of  trade  during  these 
twenty  years  may  be  obtained  from  the  statistics  at  the  custom- 
house. First,  as  to  the  number  of  ships  engaged  in  the  trade  : 
The  General  Washington  cleared  for  the  East  Indies  in  1787  ; 
in  1789,  two  ships  cleared  for  India  ;  in  1792,  three  ships  went 
out;  in  1799,  four:  in  1804,  six.  The  largest  number  in  any 
one  year  was  seven,  in  1806. 

The  General  Washi?igton  s  first  cargo  was  valued  at  very  nearly 
$100,000  ($99,848).  In  1795,  the  volume  of  imports  was  S311,- 
910.  In  1800,  imports  from  the  East  Indies  were  valued  at 
9726,924.  In  1804,  the  volume  of  imports  was  $887,000;  in  1806, 
$662,000, — but  in  that  year  two  of  the  largest  Indiamen  {John 
Jay  and  Anji  and  Hope)  failed  to  make  their  expected  haven  in 
safety.  This  would  more  than  account  for  the  decrease  in  the 
volume  of  trade.  The  enormous  profits  made  were  more  than 
compensation,  in  the  long  run,  for  the  frequent  interference 
with  American  commerce  on  the  part  of  the  European  powers. 

Nevertheless,  there  was  good  and  sufficient  reason  for  strength- 
ening "the  wooden  walls  of  America,"  and  at  their  best  the 


34 


protection  which  they  afforded  to  her  merchants  was  very  far 
from  effective.  Our  relations  with  France  were  seriously 
strained  under  the  Directory.  American  claims  for  captured 
vessels  were  persistently  disregarded.  During  1797  complaints 
of  French  privateers  are  particularly  numerous  in  the  news- 
papers, and  in  1798  American  vessels  of  war  were  authorized  to 
attack  French  cruisers. 

English  acts  of  hostility  were  largely  prompted  by  fear  lest  the 
American  Indiamen  should  encroach  upon  England's  monopoly 
of  the  carrying-trade.  A  clipping  from  the  Indian  Apollo,  in 
December,  1796,  alludes  with  much  satisfaction  to  that  article 
of  the  Jay  treaty  of  1795  which  prohibited  American  ships  trad- 
ing to  the  East  Indies  from  carrying  their  cargoes  to  Europe, 
since  the  greater  part  of  the  trade  would  thus  be  confined  to 
English  ships.  In  1800,  however,  England  began  to  assume 
rights  of  search  for  enemy's  goods  upon  neutral  ships. 

Vessels  were  frequently  taken  into  the  West  Indies  and  con- 
demned upon  some  trifling  pretext.  One  Captain  Bowler  hav- 
ing offered  some  remonstrance  received  this  laconic  reply  from 
the  Governor  of  New-Providence,  whom  the  worthy  captain  de- 
scribes as  "a  petty  despot  with  his  arms  akimbo  and  a  supercili- 
ous grimace,  '  Sir,  his  Majesty's  commanders  never  err.'  "  The 
experience  of  the  John  Jay  is  a  typical  instance  of  the  risks 
from  this  source  incurred.  With  the  renewal  of  the  war  between 
England  and  France  in  1803  came  a  fresh  series  of  measures  di- 
rected against  the  carrying  trade,  and  extending  over  several 
years.  American  commerce  was  very  nearly  swept  from  the 
ocean,  and  after  the  war  of  1812  was  ended,  the  extraordinary 
stimulus  which  manufactures  had  received  during  the  interven- 
ing two  years,  prevented  commerce  from  again  reaching  that 
pre-eminent  position  in  the  industrial  life  of  the  New  England 
States,  which  it  had  held  before  the  outbreak  of  hostilities. 

This  account  of  the  first  twenty  vyears  of  the  East  India  trade 
brings  us  to  the  time  of  England's  famous  Orders  in  Council 
(of  1806  and  1807)  and  Napoleon's  Decrees  of  Berlin  and  Milan, 
all  of  which  were  directly  aimed  at  the  carrying  trade  of  neutrals. 
At  that  time  the  Americans  were  the  great  neutral  carriers,  a 
position  which  they  ceased  to  occupy  after  the  Embargo  of  1807, 
or  at  any  rate  after  1815,  when  peace  allowed  the  European 
nations  to  compete  once  more  for  the  carrying-trade. 

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